Ukrainian diplomats closely following the case of detained Ukrainian soldier in Italy

Monday, July 3, 2017 2:00:11 PM

In connection with the detention of Vitaly Markiv, a Ukrainian citizen and serviceman of the Ukrainian National Guard, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Milan requested information from to the court of Pavia regarding the grounds and circumstances of his detention, as well as ensuring the possibility of future visits from the consular officer.

“The consul established contact with the detainee's lawyer and agreed on further action. The relatives of Markiv are informed of his detention. The case of the detention of a citizen of Ukraine is under special control of the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate General of Ukraine in Milan,” announced the Department of Consular Service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier on Saturday, July 1, the Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevgeny Enin said that Markiv, a serviceman of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Italian photographer Andrea Rokkelli near Slavyansk in the Donetsk region in May 2014.

Andriy Antonishchak, the People's Deputy from the Petro Poroshenko bloc said that Markiv was detained on Friday, June 30. He is being held in prison in the Italian town of Pavia. Authorities have not allowed Ukrainian diplomats to see him, arguing that he has Italian citizenship. The Italian officials provided Markiv with a lawyer but Ukrainian representatives intend to have him dismissed and hire their own lawyer.

Advisor to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, People's Deputy from the People's Front faction, Anton Gerashchenko said the detention in Italy of Markiv, a soldier of a battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine, on suspicion of murdering an Italian photojournalist might be another provocation by the Russian special services.